Zip It
by trace93
Summary: Tim lends the Taylor household females a helping hand in more ways than one and vice versa and gets recruited as a model and actor.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters.

Zip It

"Hey Tim, how bout a pair of hands here?" Tami said, walking down the hall toward the bathroom. She was getting ready for the Panthers' state victory banquet. Eric had gone early to check on preparations at Garrity Motors, dropping Julie at Tyra's on the way. Shelly had Gracie in the yard, catching the last rays of sun.

Tim was working on his tie's knot in the bathroom mirror. "Sure Mrs. T, what do you need?" he asked, as she came in and faced the bathroom mirror, squeezing between Tim and the sink. "Zip me up, sweetie. And then I need you to help me with this choker." Her scarlet cocktail dress gapped at her back as she held her hair up.

Tim caught his breath, measuring the situation. Riggins had always admired Tami's honeyed beauty from afar, but no Dillon boy in his right mind would ever admit that shared thought past whispers among friends (_smokin' hot_) away from the locker room, lest the coach catch wind. Which would mean sure death after prolonged torture. But she was completely at ease.

"Sure. Uh… let's see," he muttered as his eyes slid down her back, glimpsing her beige lace bra and panties before focusing on the long zipper. His blunt fingers fumbled to grab the tiny zipper tab while tugging on the surrounding silk to brace it. As he pulled it closed, the dress snugged firmly around her curves, his fingers by necessity tracing the line of her spine.

Focus, Riggs. He moved some loose strands of her copper hair so they wouldn't catch in the zipper. Brushing the nape of her neck, he noticed her skin goosebump slightly. "A'right, all zipped up," he murmured in his baritone. "Next?"

"This clasp – I can never do it myself." She handed him a pearl choker that was just long enough to circle her neck.

The clasp was stiff and it took some dexterity to open. He looped the strand over her head, and had to move closer to her so he could work the clasp's halves precisely into place.

"Whoops…" He missed and the choker swung down into the front of her dress, hanging from his left hand. _Good one, spaz_. "Sorry. Try again," he said, briskly extricating it with a tug. So he could see, he moved closer yet to the intricate task, close enough so his breath feathered her neck. While he hoped the second try worked, part of him was savoring their proximity.

Tami was watching closely in the mirror, her eyes flicking between assessing her outfit and Tim. She had seen his effect on the women in her family and at school, how they gaped at him and fawned over him, but she'd never quite understood why, or maybe her sense of propriety as an authority figure never let her.

Now she began to see. Rather than Eric's ramrod posture, hands on hips, Tim's well-muscled back made him curve around her, almost as if to shelter her or sense her better. His quiet, dusky voice drew her closer to listen, rather than barking out orders or platitudes. He was incredibly masculine while being gentle.

The distraction of Tami's neck and shoulders was making his task even harder. She's just the right size. He would focus on the clasp only to have his gaze drop down to the skin of her back, forcing him to start over again. And she smelled clean and subtly sweet, to make matters worse.

He finally fastened the clasp, but not before stifling the serious urge to brush his mouth across her neck. He cleared his throat and cast a glance in the mirror to admire his work. Tami arranged the choker so it sat above her collarbones, twisting slightly to both sides to check. Their gazes met briefly, both sizing up what a striking pair they made, the mirror framing Tim framing Tami.

Riggins felt a blush creep over his face. "Hey, would you mind helping me out with my tie? I think I forgot how," he said to break the moment. _Control yourself, dude._

Tami turned in her spot to face him. Tim backed up a little to give her space, but the bathroom was small. "Sure. Um, let's see… Need to start over again."

She undid the striped silk length, smoothing out the ends on his chest as she checked his eyes. _Were they always such a deep hazel? And so thoughtful? _Tim had reflexively placed his right hand on her hip, to steady the space between. Tami either humored him or didn't notice as she began to make a windsor knot, like she'd done for Eric dozens of times. She slipped the knot into place, tightening it under his adam's apple.

"Thanks. I look okay?" he purred, and she could feel his vocal chords vibrating through his shirt.

She had to be honest. He was devastating, all cleaned up, hair combed, dressed like a prep student. And in his week spent at the Taylor house, he had been on his best behavior, helping out when he could and adding a little levity.

"You look gorgeous, Tim," and as he smiled sheepishly she instinctively took his other hand and looped it around her back, drawing him into her. He froze for a second. _This feels so good, but it can't be right…_

They hugged for several long, nervous breaths before Shelly's voice pierced the silence. "Tam? Do you have a bottle ready for Gracie?" She stuck her head in the door just as Tim pushed Tami away. "What are you two doing," Shelly asked suspiciously. "I was just fixing Tim's tie. It was a mess." Shelly looked dismayed. Tami was way closer to Tim than she'd ever managed to get, despite her best efforts.

Tim drew a deep breath and squeezed by both of them. "'Scuse me. I'll go start the truck, Mrs. T. Don't want to be late or coach'll have our heads," he said with a laugh as he threw her a wink. He was pretty sure she winked back.

tbc


	2. Chapter 2

Tim drove Tami in his truck, amid a humid silence

Tim drove Tami in his truck, amid a humid silence. _Did Tami really just make a pass at me?_ Besides being consumed with that thought, Tim was not exactly looking forward to the banquet as it was usually a series of speeches and praise for the players. And he wasn't entirely comfortable in the spotlight, at least away from the gridiron.

They arrived at Garrity Motors at the same time as most of the team, Jason in his wheelchair pushed by his dad, his mom walking alongside. Mattie with his grandma and Landry, Smash with his mom. Tim and the Taylors took the last seats at the head table. Eric joined them after extricating himself from Buddy's vise-like bear hug.

Oddly, Tim had felt more like a part of the Taylor family than Julie seemed to during his week with them. Being one of Coach Taylor's prime players and team leaders certainly didn't hurt. For once he belonged, and despite the annoyances of sharing one bathroom with so many others, it was a peaceful and gratifying feeling. And with what had just happened with Tami, the zipper induced hug, things had gotten even more intriguing, if dangerous. But Tim got adrenaline from danger.

The inevitable cavalcade of speeches began as people filed to and from the banquet, filling their plates. The man of the hour was Eric, having led the team in one season to a victory at state, the greatest achievement in Texas high school ball. He began his speech by acknowledging the tragedy that overshadowed the season – Jason's paralyzing accident. Street blanched and bowed his head as the room erupted in spontaneous applause and soft scattered murmurs. Tim caught his eye, staring at him with that mix of love and loyalty, softly mouthing "Six." Coach went on to thank all the players, coaches, and staff that had contributed, and as he made them stand up to be recognized. The mood lightened as he recounted some funny moments.

Tami slid down in her chair slightly, dandling a wine glass while watching her husband, head tilted slightly, reacting appropriately to each mention or story. But clearly she had heard them before, some many times. Tim sat next to her, trying to pay heed to the speech, but his despite his efforts to ignore them, his thoughts roamed to their shared hug.

Then Tim felt a bare foot graze his ankle, sidle up his shin slowly, circle his leg and then whisk back down his calf. He caught his breath, and then registered an exhilarating thrum that ran up his front. _Tami playing footsie? Seriously._ The tablecloths were just long enough to provide a screen, but he'd have been nuts to respond in kind. Or would he? It zinged right to the reckless, testosterone-crazed side of him that constantly made the wrong choices. He looked around casually to see if it had registered with anyone. They all sat rapt by the coach's words.

All he could manage was to move his leg toward Tami's so that their knees touched in one searing spot. Tami crossed her other leg, looping it under Tim's calf, sensuously tickling his leg back and forth with her toes. _Oh man. She is totally hitting on me…_

Eric finished his speech to long applause, giving the crowd his patented squinty smile and short wave, and returned to the table. "Great speech, Coach," "You made Dillon proud," and other laurels were directed at him as he stopped every few steps to receive a handshake or backslap.

"Knocked 'em dead, hon," Tami said. "As usual." He beamed with pride, but he was clearly tired from the events leading up to the banquet, including the game and all the media and booster demands. Plus having to talk to every team member individually, commending them for their effort. He rubbed his eyes and took a gulp of wine.

Tami had gotten used to her husband being drawn every which way, and the ensuing vacuum of attention he paid her. Matt's grandmother began to tell Eric how wonderful he was. She adored the coach and never let a chance to tell him slip by. Lorraine reminded him a bit of his mom, who lived hundreds of miles away, so he paid her close attention in a debt of guilt. Then the Streets started talking about what a great job of coaching he did, and how Jason emulated him.

Tim was talking to Jason about one of the plays that had turned the game the Panthers' way. He was still a bit woozy from Tami's attention – surprising but also surprisingly intriguing. _Maybe her hormones are spiking from the baby?_ He might've written it off to familial affection, but since his mother had bailed on him when he was young, he didn't exactly recognize that if it came his way.

After he had finished his lasagna, Tim excused himself to use the rest room. The remainder of the meal had been uneventful, at least from the footsie perspective. He looked at himself in the bathroom mirror, adjusting his tie, remembering how Tami had spread her hands on his chest and they'd hugged, and how oddly natural it felt. He splashed his face with water, thinking how he could really use a beer.

As he was walking past the dealership's waiting area, Tami came the other way. Without so much as a hitch in her step, she pulled him by the hand into the parts department, leading him past rows of shelves. Before he knew it, she locked eyes with him, guided his hands around her waist and laced her arms around his sturdy neck. Picking up where they'd left off, they drew a few pregnant, halting breaths in an embrace.

By now, Tim's carnal instincts were taking over. He closed the distance between their hips, feeling the heat intensifying, cocking his pelvis reflexively just a bit. That was like a switch flipping on, and instantly their lips met softly but urgently. They kissed soundly before she dropped her hands to his butt, snaking them under his jacket and into his waistband. Tim's mouth pressed against her ear, his uneven breath alternating with dabbing licks and nips, eliciting a reflexive shiver from Tami. _Oh lord…_ They kissed even more lusciously before pulling apart reluctantly, reversing through another hug. Tami reached to straighten his tie, and in turn, Tim slowly and seductively ran his fingers up and down the length of her dress' zipper.

"I had to see how the zipper and tie chapter was gonna end," she said coyly, as she straightened her dress and headed toward the door. "I'm satisfied." Tim took a deep breath, leaning to steady himself against the parts counter as he watched her sway away from him. _Hell if I am. But it was an interesting banquet, for once._


	3. Chapter 3

Zip It: Chapter 3

**PERFECT FORM**

Disclaimer: these characters are not mine...

Two weeks after the Panthers' state victory banquet, Eric had solemnly packed a suitcase and flown to Austin to accept the position as QB coach at TMU. He'd struggled with the decision, but the salary and promise of promotion were too much to resist, especially with so many mouths to feed now. Tami had been the one to push him to take the job, to his surprise; he'd assumed she'd be dead set against it.

Prior to his departure, over a fierce match of ping pong, Eric asked Tim to be as helpful as he could around the house, doing whatever Tami needed to be done. He felt guilty about abandoning Tami with an infant, even though she'd encouraged his move. Having Tim there was a way to assuage some of that guilt; at least he could lift heavy things and help with small repairs.

That left Tim in the Taylor house with four females, including Shelly, helping out with Gracie. Tami had initially resisted Tim's presence because of Julie (_a can of gasoline next to a lit match_?) but Eric felt perfectly safe in that regard, since Tim had displayed several times a strong protective sense for Julie. Tami had seemed to relax about that after a week or so.

If anything, Eric was more concerned that Tim might mix it up with "Shels," as he called her. He'd shown a penchant for older women by dating his neighbor, who was still living at his house with his brother, hence his need for a place to crash. He was clearly exercising his best flirting form with Shelly, who reciprocated gladly.

Tami did feel some guilt about initiating a kiss with Tim in the parts room at the banquet, but it was a way of coping with some fierce hormonal swings. She didn't think that Tim would make more of it than what it was, a little thrill. And nothing more'd happened between them than some loaded glances. And actually, that had spiced things up around the house.

Tim was always more handy than Eric when it came to fixing stuff, but now his skills were essential. And anything that weighed more than ten pounds he found himself carrying wherever it needed to go; any new jar found its way to his big hands to open. Sure, there was a lot of damsel-in-distress role playing, and being the strong man sure did wonders for his ego. But it was a sweet feeling to be needed, something he had secretly craved when he'd dated Jackie – and Bo, a package deal. He'd missed being a part of a family since he was seven, when his own family started to come apart for good.

Tim began doing some extra chores to help earn his keep. He'd cleaned up the garage, in part because that's where he was sleeping. He hung up the bikes on hooks, put loose tools in the workbench, piled all the footballs and gear in a big box, swept out the cobwebs. Part of the garage was used for the all-important ping pong table, the place of some serious bonding with the coach, and now Julie, since coach's departure. A workout bench and weights occupied another part, and he slept on a futon which folded up during the day. It was like heaven to him.

He didn't have much clothing with him, so he had to wear things a bit longer than he might normally, or do laundry. Like now, after his workout, stripped down and ready for a shower, and found himself with no clean t-shirts. _Crap, I coulda sworn I had another one in here…_ He pulled on a pair of gym shorts, bundled up his laundry and went to the mud room where the washer and dryer were, down the hallway to the kitchen.

As he loaded the washer, he heard Tami enter the kitchen. "Tim? Could you lend me a hand with the stuff from Costco?" She'd gone to stock up on stuff, which depleted quickly with a full house. _Ta-da! He-man to the rescue_. "Just a sec Mrs. T… putting some wash in." He clicked the washer's dial and as the water started making a gushing sound, he went out to the car.

Tami was getting packages out of the tailgate when she looked up to see Tim approaching. She inhaled sharply. _Oh my_. He wore only a pair of flip flops and shorts that sat low on his hips. He face was flushed pink and his golden skin glistened with sweat. He looked like a Greek god. Apollo... Eros. _He might be the only person in the world who'd look better without clothes_… His shoulder muscles looked like cantaloupes, and his biceps bulged as he raised his arms even slightly. His chest tapered to a small waist with ripples down the front. Spiking hormones and missing Eric were definitely taking their toll, abetted by the hunk in front of her.

"Whatcha got there?" he said, licking his lips and rubbing his hands together, making his biceps grow even rounder, when he noticed her staring at him. "Oh, sorry about this, I ran out of t-shirts after my workout. Just put a load in." But he didn't seem to be self-conscious in the least. After all, at home he walked around in the buff a lot of the time, so he didn't think much of it.

Tami remembered Shelly and Julie gawking at Tim as he did his ab workout, laughing at their silliness. Now it made total sense to her. One of the miracles of Riggins was how someone who ate and drank the way he did could wind up with a body like that, like he was a figment of someone's vivid imagination. She shook her head slightly to bring herself back to earth. "No problem hon. I can see you've been working out pretty hard…" Tami had been with Eric since he was a trainer after his playing days ended, and she'd been a pretty good athlete in her day. She touched his pumped arm.

Tim raised his arms slightly to inspect them, and sure enough, his veins popped out under his moist skin. "Yeah, I guess I did have a pretty good workout. Actually, after we load this stuff in, would you mind spotting me on the bench? Sometimes my form is off, and it helps when a guy checks it for me." _A gal, I mean. A really hot one_. "I won't use too much weight today, but I just want it to be right and get my reps in." He knew Tami had a pretty good knowledge of training, at least the basic stuff. And if there was one thing Riggs was dead serious about, it was his training.

They brought in all the paper products, cases of soda, and multi-packs of steaks. _Boy, I'm getting hungry_. Whenever she could, Tami snuck a look at him, taking in another angle or muscular detail she hadn't noticed before, like his seriously cut hip muscles. Once, his hands covered hers as she transferred a box to him, and her face flushed immediately. "Let's go finish your workout," Tami said quickly, to shift their attention.

Tim checked the amount of weight on each end of the bar, removing a plate on each side. "Can you check my back and make sure I don't arch up?" he said. "Also that my feet stay flat on the ground. It's light enough so that you shouldn't have to worry about the weight." She nodded.

He lay back on the bench, and Tami stood to his side. As his arms received the weight, his face turned red and he puffed his cheeks out as he exhaled. His back began to arch, so Tami placed a palm on his stomach to press it down, while putting the other hand on his knee to push his foot flat, sliding it up his thigh an inch at a time as he obeyed. She could feel his abs working hard, supporting his core, pushing breath in and out. Tim let out a noise between a grunt and a moan on his last rep.

"What was I doing?" he said. "Your back arched just a little. And you were raising your heels a bit too," she said. Sweat dripped from his hair and the veins on his arms were prominent. "Damn, I can't tell when I'm doing that. Okay, one more set." When it came to form, he was a perfectionist, something Tami was only beginning to appreciate.

This time, she kneeled, pressing down on his abdomen more firmly with each rep, and when he finally arched a little higher, she slid her other hand under his back to measure how much he was arching. She didn't realize it was his final of the set, and as he replaced the bar on the rack, his back dropped flat, trapping her left hand under his mid-section.

"Unh!" Tami exclaimed. "God, did I crush you? I'm sorry!" he said. She feigned being hurt, holding up her left hand and shaking it. "Hon, what have you been eating, you weigh a ton!" she teased, as he propped up on one elbow.

Frowning, he drew her hand close, inspecting it gravely. "This looks pretty serious." He glanced at her mischievously, and then slowly licked it and kissed it softly. "All better," he rumbled, placing it on his flexed pec, still pumped from reps. She let it rest there, feeling his hot chest rise and fall for a few breaths, then slid her index finger down his front, delicately circling the cup of his navel, tickling him so he giggled.

She slipped her hands around his ribcage, snugging her cheek to his belly, inhaling his complex musk. Her shoulder and arm pressed against his hot pelvis. By now, his knit shorts weren't hiding much. _Well, if it was a secret, it ain't anymore,_ he laughed. She purred, gazing up the length of his torso at him, checking his eyes, which glowed.

She tightened her hug, nuzzling and mouthing him gently through his shorts, nestling her full breasts around his stiff length which breached the elastic of his shorts, so she gave it a caressing peck. _Oh, christ_... She planted plummy little kisses in a line up his torso til she hit his throat, which released low moans. He stroked her hair, drawing her face up to his.

She captured his mouth with hers, and he grabbed her ass, pulling her in tight for an impossibly deep, wet kiss. Their hips meshed, Tim now so hard it made Tami wince, his hands roaming her backside impatiently. "How's my form now?," he growled lustfully into her ear. Tami answered with a deep _mmm_… She stood and pulled him toward the futon. "Shels… Grace… Jules..." Tim whispered between heavy breaths. "At the park on the swings… with Lois at the mall…" she murmurmed, easing onto the futon, drawing him on top.

Tami was sliding off his shorts when the house phone rang in the kitchen. _Fuck_. "Just ignore it, probably a sales call…" she trailed off, as he fumbled with the buttons on her blouse, just about ripping off the last one. He was about to pull off her jeans when her cell phone jangled from the foyer. _Double fuck_. "Shoot, it must be Eric," Tami said. That seemed to snap her out of her amorous fog, sending her bolting down the hall. "Oh, hi hon! No, I just ran from outside. Costco. Great. Not much…. she's at the mall with Lois. Yup. He's being very helpful." She paused and glanced at Tim. "Doing everything I ask. Miss you too." She snapped the phone shut.

Watching her, Tim leaned framed in the doorway, weight shifted to one leg. It was a regular habit that made him look like Michelangelo's David in a sculpture niche, except now he held his shorts loosely to shelter his erection. His hair hung over his face, but it hardly obscured his sultry gaze. _Maybe it's for the best… saved from sin by the bell._

He watched her hurry back toward him, tugging her blouse around her. Her hair covered her face too, but he guessed she looked serious and that she'd end their little session. But when she got to him, she dropped her blouse on the floor and drawled, "Alright, Mr. Riggins." She tossed aside his shorts and pushed him onto the futon, leaving him breathless. "Time to get serious about your form…"


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: These characters are not mine

Disclaimer: These characters are not mine.

As Tim showered, he smiled contentedly, thinking about his tryst with Tami. It was a good feeling to be led by a woman; it was always the other way around for him. On top of that, Tami'd been much more caring than the other women he'd ever been with. The combination of her experience, the urge to satisfy some of the curiosities bottled up in 17 years of marriage, and sheer lust had made it gratifying for both of them.

It was strange to think that what she was doing to him was probably how she had pleased Eric all these years. How she cooed and purred the whole time, and all the sweet little strokes and massages that followed her mouth's hungry actions. Tim suddenly felt a lot closer to Coach in a perverse way.

Like it was Groundhog Day, Tim pulled on his shorts again, still lacking a clean, dry t-shirt, and went to the mud room to put his laundry in the dryer. Shelly had gotten home from taking Gracie to the park and answered the phone. "Hey, Tim? Phone! You there sweetie?," she yelled. "Yup, coming Shels…" he replied, trotting to the kitchen. This time Shelly checked him out, hardly needing to undress him with her eyes since he wore just those shorts, but doing so anyway. _My, my, my_…

He took the phone from her, winking at her. _Lord give me strength_, she thought, giving his shoulder a little pat. "Riggins here," he said, and the rest of his half of the conversation consisted mainly of 'yeahs' and 'I guess so', punctuated by a 'let me think about it.' He scribbled down some info and hung up.

"Shels, get a load of this crap: some clothing company saw my Panthers interview on TV, and that calendar pin-up I did as a fundraiser, and they want to consider me as a model for a new line of jeans." He laughed. "What a joke." He stuck his finger out to Gracie, in her carrier on the table, so she could play with it. "Hey, squirt…"

In a boozy post-pep rally whirlwind, Tim and the other starters had each been photographed for a calendar that was sold by the boosters to raise money. Tim had been July, what else – the hottest player for the hottest month.

He'd posed kind of like Colossus, his feet apart, arms folded for maximum bicep amplitude, while some cheerleaders held their blue and yellow pompoms over his privates. He had levelled that killer patented Riggs gaze at the camera – dropped chin, smoldering hazel eyes partly covered by his hair. Even tho it was meant to be a spoof on Calvin Klein or Armani ads, anyone who opened it up reacted the same way – holy shit, this guy is smoking hot.

And in the TV interview, which had actually not gone well considering he wound up dissing Smash, that same flinty Clint Eastwood brand of straight talk and machismo had burned right through the camera. Despite his reticence, his character came across loud and clear.

"That sounds great, hon!" Shelly gushed. "You could become a star!" _You and your cute little ass, although if I could I'd lock you in my closet for myself._

Tim looked at her and scoffed. "Gimme a break. Who the hell'd want to buy anything I wear?" People were always teasing Riggs about his wardrobe, which consisted largely of Panthers clothes and plaid shirts and jeans, same old Texas stuff he'd worn since he was a kid, just a bigger size every year.

"Hon, it's not about your clothes, it's about you without your clothes, your attitude," she said coyly. "Or wearing their clothes, anyway. What company is it? What else did they say?" Gracie started burbling as she sucked on Tim's pinkie.

"It's Morley, they make fancy jeans, I guess. They said they wanted me to email a few photos of myself in just jeans, and posed with a girl, like we were in love. I don't know, it sounds stupid if you ask me. Although they did mention it could pay pretty well…" _Not that I have a rent to pay right now… but I sure could use the money in case_…

Shelly gave him another once over, this time with a critical eye. "Sugar, you could very easily be a model. You're better looking than most of those pretty boys in the magazines. No contest." She stepped back a few feet, framing a square with her hands around Tim's silhouette. He was leaning against the counter, one ankle crossed over the other, hands perched on the counter next to his cut hips, looking at her skeptically. He knew he was good looking enough to attract the ladies, but nothing more.

"Tell you what, I'll shoot you. I used to have a pretty good eye since I studied photography. It'll be fun." Shelly had compiled a portfolio before getting sidetracked by real estate. She missed it.

"You studied photography? Huh." Tim said. He picked up Gracie as she started fussing, cradling her in his left arm and tickling her, just as Tami came in. "Hey, how's my angel doing?" she said, giving Tim a knowing look. He grinned and dropped his head. "Oh, she's doin' great, such a good baby," Shelly said. As she told about the phone call, and how she wanted to photograph Tim, Tami looked back and forth at the two of them, bemused, if wary.

"A model, huh, Tim? Well, seems pretty out there, but I guess they all have to come from somewhere, even small Texas towns, huh?," Tami said. _He is so gorgeous, it makes perfect sense. Matter of fact, why hadn't it happened sooner?_ "You should do it, Tim. Couldn't hurt, as long as you're okay with what they make you do."

-/-/-

Julie walked in carrying a shopping bag and did a double take at Tim, scantily dressed. "Hey guys. Look what I got." She pulled out a pair of jeans with "M"s stitched on the rear pockets. "They're this hot brand, Morley. The mall just got 'em in." He started to laugh, then Shelly and Tami. "Why's everyone laughing?" Julie said impatiently.

"You're not gonna believe this, but Morley might want me to model their new line of jeans," Tim said. "They saw my photo in the calendar, and my TV interview, and asked me to send some shots. Then if I make the cut, they'd bring me to Houston for a professional shoot."

Julie's mouth gaped. _Riggins? As in Tim, the slovenly fullback? Are they on crack?_ Then she sized him up again, freshly clean from a shower with an amazing glow on his face. _Wow, exercise does wonders for your skin. Gotta try that._ Just as Tami's and Shelly's had earlier, Julie's eyes fell across his perfectly sculpted torso and hips. _Jesus, has he always looked like this?_

"Hey, I've got an idea, why doesn't Jules be the girl, and we'll do it right now," said Shels animatedly. "She can wear her new jeans. Y'all don't have any big plans now, do you? I mean, Tim's done with his workout, and he's all pumped and showered…" she said, further admiring his musculature, trying not to drool. Tim wasn't exactly bursting with enthusiasm, but he agreed. He was in too sated a mood to argue. "Here hon, I'll put her down for a nap," said Tami, taking Gracie from Tim, brushing his bare bicep slowly and giving him a heated look.

-/-/-

Tim put on his worn old jeans that fit him perfectly, and Julie her new ones. _Those look pretty hot, I must say_, Tim thought. _Christ, my libido is out of control. Grip, Riggs_… Her new jeans, paired with a pale pink tank, made Julie look adorable. She gave Tim a once over. _He is gorgeous, from a purely scientific standpoint._

They went into the yard, near the big rock. Shelly was fiddling with the digital camera she'd bought a while back. "Okay, let's do Tim alone first." He leaned against the rock, his hands wedged in his pockets, his arm muscles and pecs flexing with each movement. He looked at her sullenly as she messed around with the camera, pushing every button twice. "C'mon Shels. Not getting' any younger here," he teased, half serious. "Pretty soon they won't want me – I'll be too old."

After another few minutes, he started to grow visibly twitchy, glaring at her. She finally started shooting. 'That's it, Tim," she said. "Work that look, babe!" He dropped his chin and shot her a feral glare. _Oh my, I think we're onto something here_, Shelly mused. She had him look sideways, turn a little, fold his arms, for variety. With each pose, he grew less patient, but the burning looks he was sending made him look even sexier. _Hot as hades, Riggs._ After a couple dozen shots, she decided to try another tack.

"Okay sweetie, think romantic things. About a girl… Last time you were with a girl." He blushed immediately, looking away. _Yeah, like an hour ago, with your sister_… He chuckled, because it sounded like a joke, even though it wasn't. "That's it, Riggs… god, it must've been good!" she teased, but the most amazing look did take him over. _You have no idea_… With a mix of passion and contentment, he looked back at Shels for a few more shots. _Whew, that boy is his own little weather system. And this camera is loving him… they were right. _

"Okay, Jules, let's get you in here." Julie clutched herself, resting on the rock next to Tim. "Hon, you look like his sister. You two have to pretend to like each other. Touch." Tim didn't move for a moment, and then suddenly put his arms around Julie's waist and pulled her in, cupping her face, shaping his muscled upper body around her.

"There you go, keep going with that," Shelly said. Julie reacted back, tentatively at first, then with more gusto, putting her hands on his chest, tracing "JT+TR" over his heart. Tim slid his hands around her ribs, his thumbs pressing in beneath the ample curve of her breasts. Shelly shot the whole time.

Tim arched his back and drew his shoulders away from Jules as he pulled their hips together, watching her constantly, amused by her shifting reaction to his actions. _Not unlike making some sweet love_, he thought, as he hummed a little Barry White to himself, now fully absorbed by the task at hand. She leaned back, mirroring him, their pelvises now flush. _God Riggs, cool down dude._… As she felt him getting hard, Julie's face went from surprised to desirous. Tim spun them, his back to the lens, muscles working as he leaned his weight on his arms, pinning Jules against the rock. He gave her a smoldering look. _Check out that back_, thought Shels.

"Incomin', Jules," he said breathlessly, before barely brushing her lips with his. She pulled him in, kissing him voraciously. She slipped her hands around his waist under his jeans, softly palming the divot of his tailbone. "Whoa… that's some good stuff," Shelly said. _This is seriously hot, but… first Tami, and now Julie, so close to Tim… At least these shots are good_.

After a minute, Shelly said "Okay, I think I got enough, you can stop now," but they kept their kiss going. "Stop! Jules. Tim!" They broke it off, both their faces flushed, Jules' fingers hooked in the front of his jeans, playing with the button. Shelly moved around them, shooting them looking at one another with hunger in their eyes.

"Wow, you two had me convinced for a minute." Shelly reviewed some of the pictures in the camera's back. _Boy is gonna be a star._ "I'll go download these to my laptop so we can see them," she said, going into the house.

Tim licked his lips and grinned at Jules as he went to follow Shelly, but Julie grabbed his wrist, pulling him behind the rock. On her toes, she kissed him with an urgency and passion he didn't think possible given the moment. They pulled apart, holding hands, gazing at one another, Tim taken by Julie's agression.

"You're a pretty good kisser Taylor, you know that?" he said, watching her touch her plump lips as if she didn't know what she'd just done. _Runs in the family_, he thought, heading inside. _And I am now two thirds the way to a trifecta, not counting Gracie sucking on my finger… _


	5. Chapter 5

Tim's photo shoot with Shelly was a success

Disclaimer: These characters are not mine.

Tim's photo shoot with Shelly was a success. In one shot, he looked content, his head dropped bashfully, a secret smile easing across his lips. In another, he sent a fiery gaze at the camera from under locks of hair, hands jammed in his pockets, triceps flexed. And a third showed a stoic far-away gaze, big arms crossed firmly.

A few with Julie captured some real heat between them: hips flush, upper bodies arched back, an electricity coursing between their eyes. In another, small Julie was all but obscured by Tim's rugged upper body, curving around her like a cobra as they kissed, her hands in his back waistband. In yet another, Julie was about to unbutton his fly as they eyed each other lasciviously. It could've been cheesy, but it was convincing because they looked like they meant it. Which they did.

With Shelly's help, Tim sent Morley Jeans several test shots. Shelly was inspired by the whole project. She'd not only done a great job taking photographs, she'd edited them, helped him write an email, and sent them on Tim's behalf, since he didn't have a computer at the Taylor's. She adored Tim and being able to help him pleased her immensely.

Morley was impressed by Tim's shots and invited him to Houston for a professional shoot. Shelly had convinced Tim to let her go with him, acting like something between a manager and a chaperone, though it was somewhat akin to a fox watching the hens. Tami was lukewarm about the idea, but Shelly seemed so excited, and she had a point about advising Tim.

In a quiet moment with Tim, Tami had expressed her support of the idea, warned him not to do anything hasty, and conveyed her doubts about him travelling with Shelly, though she knew she didn't hold much moral ground. She was reminded of that when she took the opportunity to give Tim a langorous kiss for no good reason. _But his lips are like candy…_

And after their heated photo/makeout session, Julie looked at Tim differently. Now all their exchanges were flirtatious teasing, rather than fraternal chiding. As she helped load stuff into his truck, she snuck him a sloppy goodbye kiss and a tight hug.

The drive took a few hours in Tim's truck, but it seemed longer since the a/c didn't work and they had to keep the windows down. Shelly had fallen asleep while Tim drove, shuffling a cd every once in awhile, sucking down iced tea. She leaned against the door, folding her legs on the seat between them; Tim used her legs as an armrest. He rubbed her shin to wake her for help navigating once they got to Houston's limits.

They found the hotel with no problem, but checking in they discovered they'd been given one room with a king sized bed instead of two rooms, and that because of a convention, everything else was booked up. _This is a test_, thought Shelly, secretly thrilled at the thought as any time spent with Tim was good. Anyway, they were practically roommates at the house.

"You'll keep your distance, right Shels?," Tim teased, winking. He was well aware of the playful flirting they shared, and her soft spot for him. _What the hell. It's not like I have much of an option. Anyway, whatever happens happens – no regrets._

Tim was to go to Morley's headquarters that afternoon to meet, and return the next day for the shoot. He showered quickly, wrapped a towel around his waist, asked Shelly for her opinion on what to wear.

"I say whatever makes you comfortable hon, as long as it's clean. It'd be good for them to see the real you," she said. "Like your black snap shirt and jeans." _Not much holding that towel up_, _is there now…_ His wet hair dripped on his shoulders.

"You sure bout that? The real me ain't exactly the ideal guy," he replied. _Though I hate getting duded up._

"Well that's what they're looking for, I'm guessing. Not some milquetoast white bread, but a real Texas guy who happens to be a state champ… someone with character."_ And looks to kill._

"Character? If that's what you call a kid with deadbeat parents and a drinking problem, I suppose…" he trailed off.

"Tim, sweetheart, don't sell yourself short. For someone with no guidance to speak of, you turned out pretty good. You're a great athlete, and you have a really good heart. Not to mention you're pretty easy on the eyes," she giggled.

He nodded, chuckling. "Thanks Shels. I don't deserve that… and thanks for everything else. You really treat me nice, you know that? And all your help with this Morley crap…" He moved in close enough so she could feel his body heat and paused before softly pecking her cheek. "Now go wash up while I change."

_Damn, this is gonna be hard,_ thought Shelly, inhaling deeply. _He sure is mature for his years, but repeat, girl: jailbait…_

/-/-/-

They arrived at Morley a few minutes early and wandered around the lobby, looking at previous campaign posters that lined the walls in light boxes. "Hey, isn't he that actor that now does all those buddy movies?," Shelly said, pointing to one. "And that gal now has her own reality show. See, this could be the first step in a new career, babe," she said to Tim.

"Now don't go jumping the gun, Shels. I haven't even met them yet. They might just send me home." After Jason's accident, Tim was even more lost about his future, thinking about maybe going into public service, being a fireman or a forest ranger. He never even thought about using his looks and his physique to make a living, at least in this way.

"Mr. Leon will see you folks now," the receptionist said. He led them down the sleek hallway to a corner office.

Pablo Leon, the creative director for Morley, was extremely well-groomed and for someone so young, had a lot of particular behaviors. He enunuciated sharply, tented his fingers together constantly as he spoke, and tapped on his Blackberry every few minutes, peering at it through glasses perched on the end of his nose.

"Tim Riggins, so nice to meet you. Pablo Leon. My word, you are the real thing, aren't you," he said, looking Tim up and down slowly, and inhaling through his teeth. "You are even yummier in person than in your photos, which – by the way – were fabulous for amateur ones. Is this your agent?" he asked by way of introduction, looking at Shelly, who was exchanging raised eyebrows with Tim.

"Shelly Gregg. I guess you could call me Tim's agent. I also took the photos," she said proudly.

Pablo went on to explain the procedure, that Tim would get hair and makeup done an hour before the shoot the next day, and the photographer would do a session with him for a couple of hours. Tim would make several clothing changes, and pose with a female model as well.

"Okay, I get the hair thing," Tim said, well aware that his hair was another topic of constant teasing, but never giving it much thought. "But makeup? What the hell's that about?" he said.

"Dear, you have marvelous skin, but even the most gorgeous boys could use a little help evening out their tone, getting rid of the circles under the eyes. Don't worry, we're not going to put blue eye shadow on your or anything. It's standard stuff. You just need to get measured now, and we'll see you back here tomorrow at noon."

He then explained the business side of things, that if Tim was chosen, what his time obligations would be, the fee involved, and the additional pay should his shots actually be used in the campaign. _Hell, for six grand – minimum – I'd even wear blue eyeshadow_, Tim thought. _How much was that sweet new pick-up at Garrity Motors…?_ Shelly jotted down some notes.

A fitter took Tim into a small room with a platform surrounded by mirrors. "Okay, off with your clothes Tim, I need to measure you," he said. In his black briefs, Tim stood awkwardly as he measured his waist, hips, inseam, chest, and arm length. "Dude, you must work out constantly," the fitter, a small nerdy man, said. "You are like the fittest guy I've ever seen." Tim grunted back, "Yeah, pretty much every day." _Watch it down there, amigo._

/-/-/-

Shelly and Tim had dinner in the hotel's restaurant, signing the room number instead of paying, and getting a sly look from the waiter. When they went back to the room, they ordered in a few beers (_thank god Shels is a party girl) _and some nachos to go with a pay-per-view movie, the latest X-Men movie. By now, they'd relaxed into being together, just the two of them. At the house, they were both peripheral, with everything revolving around Gracie, Tami, and Jules.

They watched tv on the small loveseat, their legs pressed side by side. Shelly bent one knee, leaning it on Tim's thigh. He put his hand on it. "Are you ever lonely, Tim?" she asked. "I can't imagine you are, with all those girls chasing you all the time."

He exhaled loudly. "Sure, I get lonely. Those girls… there's the hook ups and all, but they don't mean much. I guess I'm used to kind of being a lone wolf. And with my recent bad relationships, I'm better off staying single, cause I'm a disaster zone when it comes to girls. What about you, Shels? You got any prospects?"

"I just ended something. The guy was boring. Seems like all the guys attracted to me are either really immature or older than me – middle aged. I'm not ready for that yet. I feel like a kid at heart even though I'm 33, you know? Like, I'm really comfortable hanging out with you. But obviously you're way too young for me, not that anything'd ever come of us." She blushed.

"You know, my last girlfriend was about your age, and she even has a kid. That didn't stop me. Anyway, I'm not …," he trailed off, dropping his head.

"Tim, don't say anymore. Whatever happens, it's all good. You know I care about you and just want to help you. Right?," she said, massaging his neck. "You know, you're awesome Shels…," he drawled, and put his arm around her shoulder, pulling her close.

_I know I shouldn't encourage her, but hell, we're two adults – well, almost. And christ, we're in a fancy hotel in Houston together, and I am kind horny. Big news flash there. Well… maybe just a little innocent comfort for now._

"You know Shels, you actually get me better than most folks. I always feel good when I'm with you," he said.She leaned on his shoulder, snuggling in and sighing, and he rested his cheek on her head. They stayed that way, nestling in to get more comfy now and then til the movie ended. "Jesus, he got obliterated. That sucks. Well, I'd better get some beauty rest, eh Shels?," he said. "We're good, right…" he said, levelling a smoky gaze at her.

She just looked at him for a minute. "God, you are so gorgeous, honeychild. If I were 15 years younger…" She kissed him on the cheek sweetly, lingering with her head pressed against his for a moment. "I'll stay on my side, I promise. But if I sleepwalk, I can't be held responsible for my actions." _Now where'd I put that Ambien…_


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: These characters are not mine.

**THE SHOOT**

The next day, Tim worked out in the hotel's gym before heading to the shoot. His hair was still wet when they got to Morley, so the stylist blew it dry, put some gel into it, and tousled it a bit. To Tim, it just looked wet again. They applied pancake makeup to his face and upper body, and dusted him with powder. He scowled the whole time. In the mirror, he thought he looked ridiculously made up, but from a distance he felt he looked pretty good – not quite as scruffy.

There were several pairs of jeans hanging in a curtained-off dressing area of a large studio, plus a couple of black t-shirts and white button downs. He put on what the assistant handed him. "By the way Tim, commando," he said. "Don't want any visible panty lines."

Kelly Dean, the apparently well-known photographer had shot covers for Maxim and GQ. She was in her 50s and had a wry sense of humor. "Boy, they were right – you are a knockout. Let's get to work. Don't be nervous, just do what I say and try to relax and have fun darlin'," she said in a husky smoker's voice. Shelly sat a distance behind the camera, watching carefully. "Shelly, you might want to look over the release that Tim needs to sign later. It's really just a formality."

There was an old leather chaise and some Indian blankets arranged on a backdrop, surrounded by lights. Tim, in a fitted black t-shirt and jeans, was a bit impatient after undergoing the beautification process. While Kelly had him sit and shift into different poses, she started talking to him.

"So Tim, I hear you preach the state religion… that is, you play football."

"Yup, fullback for the Dillon Panthers, state champs. I live to play."

"Ah, so I know what you do on Friday nights. What else you like to do? You got a girlfriend?"

Tim smiled, dropping his gaze. "Uh, not exactly. I'm exploring my options at the moment," he laughed, and winked at Shels.

He changed into the white shirt and another pair of jeans, and got his face powdered again. Kelly noticed that the longer they worked, the more pissed off – and beautiful – he looked. She was tempted to annoy him just to see how handsome he could really get, but decided not to push her luck.

"Hon, unbutton your shirt, lay back on the chaise, and shut your eyes for a few minutes. I'll keep shooting." He was glad for it, as it was warm in the studio, he'd come off the initial rush of adrenaline, and suddenly he was so relaxed that he nearly dozed off.

/-/-/-

The next thing he knew, he felt a pair of cool hands smoothing his chest under his shirt and a small body lowering onto his. It was the other model, a striking Eurasian woman, wearing just a shirt like his but coral, all legs and silky long black hair. _Holy crap, I get paid to do this?_ Tim laughed.

"Just react, sweetie," Kelly said. _Whatever you say, ma'am. _Tim gathered the model in his arms and buried his face in her hair and neck. "I'm Tim. Who might you be…" he whispered into her ear in his most seductive rumble. "I'm Tracy," she answered in a weakening voice. "And you are just about the hottest guy I've ever seen." "Just about…?," Tim growled, nipping her collarbone.

"Great, kids," Kelly said. As they nuzzled, Tim's mouth moved along her neck until Kelly directed them to begin sitting up slowly and for Tracy to take off his shirt as she photographed them. She slid the shirt off his big shoulders, pausing for a second to drink in his frame. _No fuckin' way_, thought Tracy.

"Lord, look at your build. We have a real man here for once, not one of those emo boys!" Kelly laughed. "I owe Pablo dinner for this. Makes my job a lot easier. Okay, now improvise."

For the first time, Tim pulled far enough away to look into Tracy's eyes. She froze momentarily, stunned. _For real – I've never seen such gorgeous eyes, on top of the rest of him_, she thought. Tim read her thoughts and his penetrating green eyes brightened. He laid her down on the chaise, hovering over her on all fours, muscles working in his arms and back, jeans fitting his rear to a tee. _Looks like a lion over his prey. And those jeans look like they were designed on him_, thought Shelly, pleased but envious.

He kneeled with his legs around Tracy's bare thighs, looking at her intently. He placed his hands around her hips, running them up her sides slowly, never breaking her gaze. He began unbuttoning her shirt while the camera whirred. Just as he was about to open it, Kelly cursed and mumbled, "Okay, take five. Need to change memory cards. Good work, guys." But they didn't hear her, and kept at it.

Tim slid his hands under her shirt and back, lifting her up slightly to do, amazed by the lightness of her body. He eased his weight between the chaise's back and Tracy, trying not to crush her. He arched up slightly and moved his lips toward hers, contemplating whether or not to kiss her. _It's the next logical step, so it must be okay_… he thought, and she certainly seemed willing.

First, he pressed his hips into her side and she whimpered almost silently, turning her face to find his. By now, Kelly was practically yelling, "Kids! Stop. Yo! Take five! Jeez." They pulled apart slowly, reluctantly; both their faces were flushed. "Sorry," Tim said. _Love and football – all or nothing._

/-/-/-

Kelly took Shelly aside. "His combination of raw hotness and emotional complexity is very rare in a first shoot, honey," Kelly said. "I've been doing this for 20 years and he definitely has something. He has this wild look, but also gentle and beautiful… Serious potential." Shelly laughed. "I always thought he'd be a natural, so it's great to hear it from a pro."

Tim swung his legs over the chaise's side, leaning back on one elbow, and smoothed his hair back. Tracy did a few buttons on her shirt and pulled her knees up, tilting them to the side. They looked at each other and grinned. "Uh, that was pretty intense," Tim said. She straightened her legs, sticking them under his bent arm, rubbing his side with her toes. "Hey!," he giggled, grabbing her foot and feathering the sole, making her laugh as well, and then cradled and kissed her ankle.

"You know, I've only been modelling for a year now, but of all the guys I've done romantic shoots with, I've never seen anyone as convincing as you. And this is your first job?," Tracy asked. "You might be good at acting, too." She pressed her foot against his tricep.

"Acting! Uh, I'm in high school, and I play football… they scouted me from some promotional stuff I did for the team. I'd never think of doing something like this otherwise. Although it ain't half bad. God, your skin is so soft," he said, stroking her calf. "And as far as selling the romance – let's just say I have a heartfelt appreciation for women, so it's not really acting." He slid his hand up and down her leg, spreading his long fingers to feel as much skin as possible.

"Wow, so you're a real life Casanova, eh?," she laughed. "Most guys your age are either really self-conscious and awkward. With you – it's just so natural."

"Casanova… well, people have called me many things, but that's not one of them, he chuckled. "I love women, and usually they love me back. Nothing more complicated than that," Tim said. _I'm getting that,_ thought Tracy.

Kelly called to them. "Okay, let's keep rolling. Tim, keep your shirt off. Why don't you lean on the back of the chaise, and Tracy hon, stand between his legs." The assistant ran over to do a powder touch-up.

He spread his legs and laced his arms around Tracy. His gaze was dropped, but after a moment he looked at her directly, intensely. _It's so eerie – like he actually knows me and is in love with me_, Tracy thought. Tim pulled her head to his shoulder, embracing her and inhaling her hair, and then turned her and drew her back to him, hugging her tightly. "God you feel good against me, Tracy," Tim purred. _And I could eat you alive, sugar_, she thought, pressing her back into his front.

"Tracy, okay sweetie, I think you're done. I need to do some of Tim shirtless – money shots," said Kelly, after another few minutes. _Damn, we were just getting started_, thought Tracy.

He changed jeans once more, this time wearing a pair that sat lower on his hips than the others. Everyone in the studio tried hard not to stare at how cut he was, but it proved difficult. After several more poses, they finished the session. The length of the shoot had brought out the wickedest Riggins looks yet, now that he didn't have Tracy to distract him. They also happened to be the hottest shots.

Kelly told him to get dressed, sign the release, and if they were around the next morning, they could stop by and see the edited selection of final shots. They'd planned on staying overnight again taking up Morley's offer to cover expenses anyway. Shels took Kelly aside to talk about the rest of the shoot, and ask several business-related and practical questions.

Tim went behind the curtain to change. Tracy surprised him, kissing him urgently and slipping her hands into his pants to grab his butt, bare under his jeans, which he'd undone en route to the dressing area. "God, I've been waiting 45 minutes to do that, Tim," she said lustily. "And your lips are as sweet as they look. Sorry – I didn't have a choice. You are, as they say, irresistible," she laughed. "Here's my info, if you're ever back in Houston… look me up," she said, handing him a card. She stroked his cheek, winked, and left.

/-/-/-

"That went dynamite, Tim," said Shels, as they got in the truck. "Kelly was saying how amazing you are for a novice. And she should know." Tim was famished, so they stopped at a coffee shop for a bite.

"Aww… well it sure was a ridiculously easy day's work for six grand. Criminal, almost!" Tim laughed, sucking down his Coke. "I haven't made that much money in my whole life. And Tracy… god, she was hot." _And we were this close to turning it into a porn shoot_… "Uh, yeah, ahem, you two seemed to be getting along fine," Shels said, jealously. "Looked good anyway, and that's what's important."

When they got back to the hotel, Tim showered, scrubbing off the makeup, and pulled on some shorts and an old sleeveless tee. He fell asleep to the sports news and napped for a good while; Shelly didn't have the heart to wake him, and she liked watching him sleep, peaceful as a baby.

Instead of going out, they ordered room service for dinner, as Tim didn't feel like getting dressed yet again, and they'd had enough excitement for one day. They ate big steaks and fries in front of the tv, sharing a bottle of wine. It was still a treat.

Once again after dinner, they sat on the loveseat, happy with the day's events, mellow and sleepy from dinner. Tim played with the fleece of Shelly's sweats, rolling it between his fingers. They watched the movie _Mr. & Mrs. Smith_ on cable.

"You looked so hot today, Tim. And it's not just me, Kelly was raving about you – your bod, of course. Said you're wild looking and gentle and complex… really intriguing. And that you have lots of potential."

Tim dropped his head bashfully, his hair covering his eyes, and laughed. "If she says so… Sure is a different world from Dillon. But in a good way. And we'll see how the shoot turned out. Could be I look like an ogre." They laughed.

He turned serious. "I want to thank you for your help with all this, Shels," he said, voice dropping low. "I know you were asking questions on my behalf, about the business stuff, and I really appreciate it. I need someone around with smarts."

"Oh hon, you already thanked me. And I told you, I love to help you," she answered, cocking her head.

He turned to her, levelling his sultry gaze at her. "No… I want to show you my gratitude, Shels… like this…," he murmured, pulling her close and sinking his lips into hers, pressing his hips against her. _First Tracy, then Angelina Jolie… I need some love, and as they say, love the one you're with…_

Shelly didn't react at first, a thousand things going through her mind, clouded by sheer lust. He released her to gauge her reaction, and as if reading her thoughts, said "By the way, Shels… I turned 18 recently." Her eyes widened.

"Hell, what're we waiting for sugar!" she laughed, yanking him on top of her, tearing off his shirt, pulling his head in with both hands, kissing him ferociously. They moved swiftly and decisively after that, sealing the deal in full glory in the middle of the king sized bed.

Afterward, Tim laughed to himself. _Trifecta complete – just about…_


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: These characters are not mine.

**ERIC'S BIRTHDAY**

The next morning at the hotel in Houston, Tim awoke lying on his side, Shelly curled behind him, her hand draped over his waist. He was groggy, mostly content, and hard. _May as well go down in flames_, he thought, pulling her arm around his hip snugly for a few deep breaths. "Shels," he panted softly, guiding her willing hand down to stroke and bring him quickly to a climax. When she felt him come, she followed right behind with his help in a blissful, just-roused dream state, sucking hard on his neck to stifle a moan.

"No regrets, and no promises, right Shels…" he sighed, kissing her forehead. She studied his eyes before nodding, her face shaded with longing. They'd talked the night before about how this was serendipitous, nothing serious, but he knew he might've pushed it too far.

It was a final indulgence before getting back to their regular lives as guests with the Taylors. Jackie and Bo moving in with Billy made Tim upset, but he liked living with the Taylors, even if it was getting complicated.

/-/-/-/

The final selection of Kelly's photographs of Tim was impressive. She captured his wild essence, his sexuality, his tragic romanticism. And of course he looked fantastic, buff, groomed, wearing Morley's form-fitting jeans. His shots with Tracy were steamy, especially the one where he was on all fours, about to ravage her.

The execs at Morley were reviewing Tim's portfolio and a few others, and they'd decide what they wanted to include in the upcoming ad campaign. But the creative director, Pablo, was optimistic that Tim would make the cut.

They told Tami and Julie about the shoot, Tracy, and Kelly the photographer. And the ritzy hotel, room service, how it had felt kind of like a vacation, only with good pay. They left out the part about sharing a bed.

/-/-/-

The big excitement for the weekend was Eric's visit home from the university. It happened to be his birthday, so preparations were underway for a celebration. Tami had gotten racks of ribs and asked Tim to clean the grill.

He'd kind of warmed up to the idea of doing some modeling to make money. As he scooped out piles of ashes, he chuckled to himself. _How many models clean out grills? How many even eat barbecue?_ The grate needed scrubbing, so he propped it against a tree and hosed it down before scraping it. Soon he was damp and covered with ashy smears.

Julie came out back bearing lemonade. Her crush on Tim had only grown since their test photo shoot. "Hey Tim. Break time," she said in her sing-songiest voice. _Hunk needs his fluids._

"Hey Jules, sure looks good." He drained a glass as Julie watched his adam's apple pulse with each gulp. The tip of her tongue snuck out the corner of her mouth as Tim licked his lips, looking at her with amusement.

"What's your mom got you working on?" Tim asked. "She is a slavedriver when she gets going. Just like your dad."

"Tell me about it. I'm cleaning the house, and then I'm baking my dad a cake. Hey – you wanna help me? Need to decorate it with icing. Would be fun," she said, curling her voice around the last phrase.

He looked at her skeptically, but when she pouted with her full mouth, he melted. _God, those lips should be outlawed_. "Yeah, why not. Actually, could you gimme a hand for a sec… I need to rinse this off, so if you could hold it, I can do both sides at once," he said, pointing to the lid.

He hosed one side, and then the other. Julie scooched back so the spray wouldn't hit her, but some did, and she shot Tim a dirty look. _God she's hot when she's mad_, Tim thought, _just like Kelly told me I was during the shoot_.

"Sorry, Jules. One more rinse." Tim went over it again, and then couldn't resist giving her a spritz. She shrieked, dropping the lid on the ground, shaking her hands. Her shirt was half soaked. _How much do I love white tank tops_, he thought.

"Okay Riggins, that's it. Wet t-shirt contest!" she yelled. She grabbed the hose and gave him a good dousing. "See how you like that, Mr. Supermodel!"

He plucked his wet shirt away from his body, and shook his head, grinning. "Touche, Taylor!" Watching her, he slowly stripped off his t-shirt and sauntered over to her, extending his hand. "Truce?"

She eyed him warily while taking stock of his dripping naked torso. "Um, sure." As she shook his hand, he grabbed it firmly and he slid his other hand up her slick arm, pulling her in.

"Seeing as how your shirt is only partly wet, I think you could help me dry off here with a little, uh, contact." He drew her into his arms. "Like this," he said, hugging her. "And then I think someone else needs to get out of their wet t-shirt," he rumbled, fingering the spaghetti straps of her tank, slipping them off her shoulders.

"Hey Tim!" they heard Tami shout. "I could use a hand in here, hon."

"Hold that thought," Tim sighed, half to himself, snapping Julie's straps straight, rubbing her shoulders and going inside. Julie bit her lip hard and went to change her wet clothes.

Tami asked him to get the folding table and set it up outside. It was in the garage behind some tools and stuff lying on the floor. As Tim stretched to hang up a tool, Tami quashed the urge to slide her hands around his taut waist.

"The shoot turned out wonderful, by the way," she said, handing him a hammer to put away. "You look… you looked incredible." _Incredibly hot_. _God, he's making me stammer and repeat myself._ He grabbed the hammer with one hand, his other hand taking Tami's hand. "You really think so?," he murmured, moving closer. They gazed at one another as Tim laced his fingers through hers.

"Hey, do you guys need my help?" Julie chirped before sticking her head through the door. Tami winked at Tim, releasing his hand as he dropped his head and went to hang up the hammer. "I think we got it hon, but thanks," Tami said quickly, back to business. _It's like he casts a spell on me_, she thought.

They set up the table out back, and Tim reassembled the grill. He filled it with charcoal and went inside, running into Shelly, carrying Gracie. "Oh, hey Tim, would you be a sweetie and watch Gracie for a few minutes while I shower and change?" She'd taken Gracie out in the baby jogger for a run. "I'd put her in her pen, but she's fussing a bit."

"Sure Shels, long as no other emergency comes up," he said, touching her arm to take Gracie. _That boy is such a tease, always walking around half naked, but who am I to complain,_ she thought. "Thanks, darlin. You're the best." _In so many ways_… Shels handed Gracie to him, smiling coyly and palming the small of his back.

He placed the baby in the crux of his arm. She looked extremely happy. Tim was glad to sit down for a minute, he'd been doing chores all day. He made noises at Gracie and let her chew his fingers before playing her favorite game of airplane and settling her against the firm, warm cushion of his bicep. Tim shut his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath, inhaling her baby scent.

"Well if that isn't the sweetest" _and hottest _"thing I've ever seen," Tami said. Tim opened his eyes, smiling sleepily at her. "She just adores you, Tim." _And so do I_, her look said. "I have to go pick up Eric at the airport. I think everything's in order. Call me if you need me…" Tami said, heading to the car, shooting Tim a wistful look.

_With coach home soon, I really have to watch it, but how can I resist all these opportunities at every turn_, Tim thought._ And it's not me instigating most everything._ "What do you think, Grace," he cooed. "I just want to make sure all you gals are happy."

He carried Gracie to the kitchen. Julie was mixing the batter for the sheet cake. "This bakes for a half hour, then it has to cool and we can decorate it," she said. "Wanna taste?" She stuck her batter-covered finger at him, and he took it in his mouth, sucking it slowly and giving her fingertip a little kiss. She just stared at him wide-eyed, as Gracie grabbed at her wet digit.

"Mmmm, that is sweet. And so's the batter," he whispered, grabbing Julie's hand and kissing it softly several times. _God, every situation suddenly turning into a romantic thing. It's like a soap opera. _They heard Shelly coming down the hall.

Shelly, showered and dressed, took the baby from Tim, stroking his arm and biting her lip. "I think I can put her in the playpen now, she's calmed way down. She loves you, hon." _I have never gotten so much love in my life_, thought Tim. _Not a bad feeling, honestly, even if it is getting ridiculous_. He went to shower and get changed.

/-/-/-/

When Eric and Tami got home, Julie screamed and ran outside to give her dad a big hug. Shelly and Tim trailed close behind. Eric looked fatigued, but happy to be home. After he'd settled in, he took Tim aside and said, "Son, I have to thank you for everything you've been doing. All the girls seem to appreciate your efforts."

Tim dropped his head, chuckled, and thought, _If you only knew. _"Coach, I'm happy to do whatever I can to help and keep things running smoothly around here."

"And I heard about your potential modeling job – that is something, Tim!" he laughed and shook his head. "Never woulda picked you for a, well, a… model, but hell, God gave you gifts, may as well put 'em to use." _What, now coach thinks I'm hot too? Christ…_

"Well, we'll see. Still gotta make the final cut. And Shels and Jules were both really helpful on that, I owe em big time," Tim said.

"Tami says you've been doing a lot around the house. I can't tell you how much that means to me. I have such guilt that I'm not here… Well whatever it is you been doing, keep it up, alright?"

Tim dropped his head. _If you say so…_ "I do what Mrs T asks me, and I try to give it my all," he said sincerely. _And I should be thanking you…_ "And I really owe you thanks for letting me stay here. For once, I feel like I belong…" he trailed off, the thought of his brother and Jackie lingering bitterly.

"The team misses you, Coach," Tim said, changing direction. "The new coach is a bastard, pardon me for saying so. I mean we're just getting back into light practices now, but it's gonna be a rough road. Not to make you feel bad about your decision…"

"Hell boy, I probably couldn't feel any worse than I already do. And truth is, it's tough down in Austin. The system is rigid and kind of corporate and cutthroat. And I miss my family. I'm glad to be in Dillon at least for the weekend. Even if I have to endure a birthday party and be reminded that I'm gettin' old!," he laughed, gesturing at the preparations.

"Tim, time to decorate the cake! Woohoo!" Julie shouted, as Tim arched an eyebrow at Eric and grinned. "My skill set is expanding here, anyway!" he laughed, heading into the kitchen. Eric went to wash up and unpack, and talk to Tami before guests started arriving. Shelly was putting Gracie down for a nap.

/-/-/-

Julie was opening the frosting when Tim's long arms encircled her. "Here, lemme, Jules," he said in a low voice, taking the can. He kept a slight distance between their bodies, barely brushing her backside, but she could feel his heat.

"Your turn," he said, offering her his fingertip laden with chocolate frosting. She turned her doe-eyed gaze at him for a moment, cocking a smile, then took his finger in her mouth, pulling on the frosting and licking her lips. He then brushed her cheek and her shoulder with his hand, leaving smudges of frosting.

"Oh, gee, sorry Jules. Here, I got it," he said helpfully. He leaned over and gave her shoulder a wet kiss, licking the frosting. She shuddered, biting her lip. His mouth moved up her neck to her face, dwelling on the chocolate there, his lips cupping her apple cheek before closing over her mouth for a fudgy kiss. "Wait, I still see some frosting on your lips," he said, kissing her slowly and deeply.

He pulled away slowly, pressing his pelvis to hers. "Chocolate's my favorite flavor, you know Jules." She smoothed the back of her trembling hand against her cheek to dry it off. "Now, what are we doing with this?," he said, grinning, as Jules tried to focus on the cake.

They wound up outlining a football in white icing, and writing "Happy Birthday Daddy" on it, after some dispute about whether to call him Eric, Coach, or Daddy. Julie won. "Well, it's kinda lame, but at least it's homemade," she laughed.

At the party, Eric finally looked relaxed, beaming at his family and friends. In a short speech accompanied by champagne all around, he went out of his way to thank Tim for helping out with the domestic stuff. Tim blushed, glancing at Tami, Shels, and Julie, who all dropped their gazes momentarily.

"And for those of you who don't see Tim Riggins every day, the next time you see him," Eric said, "may be from the back cover of a magazine!" Tim looked up, surprised. "They emailed Shelly a little while ago, Tim. Your photo's gonna be one of the featured ads for the campaign. Wanted to surprise you and figured we may as well celebrate that as well tonight!"

That evening, in separate private moments and varying depths of hugs and kisses, Tim received congratulations from all the members of the Taylor household. And then he slept like a baby.

/-/-/-/

AN: Apologies for making Tim so easy, but it seemingly can't be helped!


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: These characters are not mine.

**FRIENDLY COMPETITION**

The females of the household doted on Eric for his week home, a bit of a relief for Tim. Much as he liked the attention, juggling all the affection was draining – mentally, anyway.

Physically, he was fine. Combined with doing a lot of the work around his house, his normally active love life and a decade of flirting had prepared him. He hadn't truly belonged to a family like this, and in some respects, it was beginning to resemble a commune, but whatever – he liked it.

He went for a run and returned to do his weights. He raised the garage door for some light and air.

"Need help with your spots there, Riggins?," Eric said, walking up the driveway as Tim was setting up to do squats.

"Sure Coach. Been doing lighter weights and more reps, but I could use a workout with a spotter." _Well, other than the time Mrs. T helped spot me, and we…_ He cleared his throat, sliding the plates on the bar.

"Maybe we could switch off. I've been so busy I haven't had any time to work out myself," Eric said, patting his still trim stomach. "Sure, nothing gets me working harder than friendly competition," Tim grinned.

Eric went to change into workout clothes, coming back wearing an old holy tee and some shorts that fit more snugly than his usual. "Don't have many workout clothes here," he said, grinning. _Man, he is still pretty fit. Guess he always wore baggier clothes when I've seen him_, thought Tim.

They swapped sets of squats, adding weight. Tim grunted more each set, but Eric couldn't finish his final set. He'd prided himself on keeping fit, always matching weight with Riggins before. Tim helped him replace the bar.

"Geez, boy, you've gotten stronger since last season," he panted, sweat dripping off his hair.

"Yah, believe it or not, I'm still growing. Gaining muscle and height," Tim said.

_This kid is going to be a fuckin' monster when he finally stops growing_, Eric thought. _And he's more built and cut than ever… no wonder they recruited him to model._

They moved onto bench press, with Tim once again eventually outlifting Eric. By now, Tami had come in to watch, amused at the two lions engaged in a match. Eric looked at Tami with some embarassment. Tim's look was part shame for showing up his coach; part pride for being stronger; and as usual, seductive.

-/-/-/-

Tami, Eric, and now Julie too, watched as Tim grunted and barked his way through his final set, his muscles laced with bulging veins, sweat dripping off his brow. He stripped off his damp shirt, mopping his face, and when he looked up, the three of them were staring at him.

"Uh… I'm gonna do my situps now, if ya don't mind…" he said, grinning, laying his t-shirt on the floor to lie on. "Oh, sure, just go ahead and finish your workout, son," Eric said. "Ignore us."

He did his sit-ups energetically, arms pumped, washboard abs contracting. Tami, biting one finger, slipped her other hand into Eric's. "C'mon hon, I gotta show you something." As they went in the house, Tami looked over her shoulder and threw Tim a look.

"Whaddya think she wants to show your dad?" Tim asked Julie, mock innocently. She smirked. "Ew. They're my parents. I'd rather not talk about it. But it might have something to do with getting all hot and bothered, watching you work out," she said, straddling the bench near him, biting her lip coyly. _God, now I'm like workout porno_, Tim laughed.

"And what about you," he murmured, shifting his weight onto the bench, easing himself between her legs. "Hot and bothered?…" he trailed off, sliding his warm hand slowly up her cool bare thigh to her shorts.

She glanced at him sideways then scooched close, wrapping her legs around him. In an instant he'd swung her onto his lap, hugging her in, forehead to forehead. A breeze from outside cooled his sweaty skin. _That feels good_.

"Now why would you have any effect on me," Jules said breathily, before grabbing his head and planting one on him.

After a fierce marathon kiss, Julie felt a bit dizzy and opened her eyes. _Is he making me delirious? _In fact, she'd been so consumed with passion that Tim had picked her up and walked over to shut the garage door while kissing her, and she hadn't realized it.

"Privacy... Where were we, Taylor," he grumbled, trapping her against the garage door and pressing his moist chest against her. Her limbs wrapping tightly around him, they kissed hungrily. He slowly released her as she circled her hands around his biceps and let the ground take her weight.

"Well, maybe hot, but not bothered," she whispered, leaning her head on his chest. "I'd say we have about 15 minutes," she trailed off, wrinkling her freckled nose, knocking Tim onto the futon with one finger.

/-/-/-/

The next day, Eric and Tim engaged in a heated ping-pong match.

"You know Tim, when I was your age, I wasn't bad lookin' myself. I got an offer to do some modelling, just the local department store. But I turned it down. And you know, I regret it. I love coachin', but it's a hard transient life, and sometimes I dream about what mighta been…"

"No joke, eh Coach?," Tim said, as he slammed a cross shot and pumped his fist.

"Yeah, actually, I never told anybody, but I had hopes of acting, maybe on tv, or Broadway. I was a huge musical theater guy!," he laughed. "Not exactly your typical red blooded Texan boy, huh. That's partly why I never followed up. Can't be a star football player and in "A Chorus Line" at the same time."

Tim smiled. _No shit, Coach on Broadway! Awesome._ "Yeah, I never thought about modelling before they called, but hell, the money's better'n good, and it's easy work," he thought. _Specially when gorgeous half-dressed chicks are crawling all over me, like Tracy…_

"Don't turn offers down unless you've really explored them, is all I'm saying," Eric said. "You are an exceptionally handsome young man and you should use your talents. Goes for football too. And since your family situation is… is…"

"Sucks? Yeah, I should think about how to make the most of what I got, cause no one's gonna take care of me." He sighed. "You're right, for sure." He thought about Billy job-hopping, now with Jackie and Bo...

Eric slashed a shot to win. Tim shrugged and grinned, conceding defeat. They man-hugged, and then Eric squeezed Tim's shoulders firmly.

-/-/-/-/

Tim had a surprise for the family that night. He led them into the living room.

"A belated birthday present for Coach," he said, sweeping his arm toward the tv. He handed Eric a mic and pressed some buttons. "Go for it," he winked.

Tim had set up karaoke on the XBox. The vamping music to "One" from "A Chorus Line" began to play, and the words popped up on the screen.

Eric blushed. "Hell, Riggs. I can't…"

"Coach, you told me about your dream. Now's the time to live it! Well, sorta. This may be the closest you'll ever get to Broadway!"

Julie clapped gleefully, chanting "Dad-ee, Dad-ee." Tami, putting Gracie in her pen, tilted her head and looked amusedly at Eric. She'd met him after his theater years, but knew he'd had a hankering. "C'mon Hon, give it a shot! It's just us."

Shelly went to the kitchen for beers, handing one to Eric. "You might need this," she teased. "Me too!"

She also gave one to Tim. They'd gotten less strict since he'd endeared himself to them, and he'd turned 18 (though he was still wasn't legal), although Eric cocked an eyebrow before winking at him. Shelly cracked one open, clinking bottles with Tim and exchanging cheers.

Eric took a slug and shrugged. "What the hell, you only live once!" he said. "Start it again."

He cleared his throat, and did a gruff, but respectable rendition of the song, even throwing in a few step-kicks and jazz hands in the finale. The small crowd whooped and clapped. Eric grinned from ear to ear, bowing.

Next up was Julie, who sang "Brass in Pocket," wiggling her hips saucily, pointing now and then at Tim, who licked his lips. Then Shelly and Tami did a duet of "I Will Survive" at the top of their lungs. They shrieked with laughter afterward, hugging.

"Okay Riggins, what'll it be?," Eric said. Tim blushed and dropped his head. "I can't sing for crap," he laughed.

The others cajoled him and reminded him that he brought it on himself, saying he had no choice. He took another few swigs.

"A'right, a'right, christ. Lemme see..." He scrolled through the menu. "Don't say I didn't warn you. One sec…" He got a straw cowboy hat from the coat rack. "Okay. Here we go," he said with a deep breath.

"Achy Breaky Heart" started up, and it took him a minute to get into the rhythm and start fitting the words to the notes. Soon, he was channelling Billy Ray Cyrus, tossing in some line dancing and air guitar. His laid back posture and cowboy boots helped sell it, plus the cocksure hat maneuvers, pulling the brim down to cover his eyes, peeking out at the appropriate times. By the end, everyone had joined in the line dance, singing along.

The family screamed and clapped their hands above their heads, woohoo-ing and high fiving Tim. "You've been hiding your other side, Tim!" Tami yelled, hugging him tightly and kissing him on the cheek. Eric clapped him on the back, and then Julie and Shelly hugged him simultaneously from both sides. Julie kissed him on the lips, and then Shelly.

_Christ. I'm gonna get in trouble pretty soon_, Tim thought, and although Tami did shoot him a look, she smiled too. _Hell, they seem to be getting' used to it. I sure am_, he thought wistfully. _Better savor it, cause it ain't gonna last. Nothin' ever does._

-/-/-/-/

Eric had to return to the university, telling Tim to remember what he'd told him, and to keep up with the stuff around the house. They hugged before saying goodbye.

The next week, Shelly opened the evening Dillon Daily when she began screaming. "Timmy! Omigod!" Tim came running in. "You okay Shels?" he said, agitatedly.

"No, I mean… Timmy! in the paper, your cute lil' ass in those fancy jeans!"

She pointed to the open newspaper, and there was Tim Riggins in full-page, four-color glory, bare chested in low-slung Morley jeans, hair tousled across his burning downward gaze, leaning against that old leather chair and Indian blanket. His hands were stuffed in his pockets, bronze arms and torso shown to perfection in the professional lighting.

He started laughing, staring at the paper for a minute shaking his head. "No shit, Shels." He pulled her in for a hug. They lingered, and he kissed her. "Another thank you, Shels. Can't believe it really happened."

Tim's phone vibrated. A text popped up: "Way to go, pretty boy! 6" And more: "My my, Tim! Vapors –LG", "Wrk out mor 33, ur gitn flabby. 7". In the next hour, he got another half dozen messages and calls.

The newspaper was part of a larger statewide chain. Morley had done a buy in the whole group, so Tim's ad was in more than 20 smaller papers, plus the Houston Chronicle.

The campaign, which included several ads with Tim, was due to roll out in magazines in the following month. Newspapers would run the ads at least every week for a few months.

Pablo had emailed Tim care of Shelly letting him know the ads were running, and thanking him for his marvelous work. He said he'd already gotten an inquiry from an agency about hiring Tim for other work, in case he was contacted.

Getting stopped in public wasn't that unusual for the Panthers' champion fullback. But for a few days, Tim couldn't go anywhere in Dillon without someone stopping him to comment.

And the number of amorous glances and flirty ass-pats he got from the girls at school quadrupled, not to mention the jealous looks and mock catcalls from the guys. If he didn't have such a badass rep, it would've been deadly.

He'd run across Billy, Jackie and Bo, who ran up to Tim and flung himself around his neck. Billy punched him on the arm, congratulating him on the ads, saying he hoped they could see one another soon. Tim said nothing.

Jackie fidgeted while giving him the once over. She whispered "you look great, Tim," when Billy wasn't looking, sliding her hand over his back and watching him as he walked away, as did Bo, til he was out of sight. Tim shook his head.

Morley had sent Tim the jeans he'd modelled, which had been tailored for him. He tried them on, looking in the bathroom mirror, when he felt some hands sliding around his bare chest from behind.

"You look gorgeous, as always hon," Tami said, peeking over his shoulder at the mirror, hugging him tightly. He turned around in her arms. Like she'd done before, she smoothed her hands on his chest, and they kissed slowly and passionately. For the moment, things were back to normal in their own strange way.


	9. Chapter 9

After his ads ran in the newspaper, Tim expected more attention from the kids at school, for better or worse. The big difference was that grown-ups treated him with more respect, saw that he'd taken a chance – ventured outside of Dillon for a little fortune and fame. He was getting his act together against the odds.

Perhaps they also noticed that his unkempt, surly looks suddenly seemed rugged and confident. That he had an indescribable presence that was now intense instead of angry.

He'd gotten a call from a modelling agency in Houston and made another trip there with Shelly to meet about possible representation and some additional shoots. With Gracie entering daycare soon, Shelly was planning on moving there and was apartment hunting.

The agency paid for Tim's expenses, as the jeans company had. He and Shelly figured they might as well share a room again. They went out for barbecue and fell asleep watching tv, Shelly nestled in the crook of his arm.

In the morning, Shelly rose and showered. She was rinsing her hair when she felt a hand snake around her shoulder and slink across her collarbone; another hand slid across her stomach.

Tim pressed his hot front against her back, drawing a moan. "Morning," he purred, nuzzling her nape. "Morning, Mr. Riggins," she whispered, turning around, their wet lips and bodies squidging together.

After breakfast, they met a real estate broker friend of Shelly's who'd made a list of apartments. Shelly fell in love with a place in a high rise downtown. It had a small second bedroom which visitors, including Tim, could use while in town. She'd move there in a couple weeks.

"I'm gonna miss you, Timmy... You have no idea," Shelly said. He too had grown to treasure their time together as she got him better than most adults. And of course there were the benefits…

/-/-/-/

When Tim got his first check, he stared at it for 10 minutes. He'd never seen a check for so much, and it was all his. He put half of it in savings. It'd cover the rent for awhile when he moved out of the Taylor's, which he guessed might be soon.

Then he spent a couple grand on a used motorcycle, a silver Suzuki 650. He'd wanted a bike since he could drive. He figured with the money he'd save on gas and repairs on his old truck, it'd pay for itself in a year or two. The bike was fast but not particularly flashy, and reliable. Plus a helmet, and a leather jacket for longer rides. He would've preferred to ride without a helmet but it was the law.

He enjoyed taking off for a quick ride, with no destination. One day, he decided to go to his old house, just for the heck of it. As he cruised by, he saw Billy putting several boxes on the curb. Billy eyed Tim suspiciously before he recognized him in his helmet, then grinned and ran over.

"Hey little bro! You gotta be kiddin' me!" he laughed. "When'd you get that?"

"Hey Billy. Uh, last week. Made some money from that modelling job, and I've had my eye on this bike for awhile. Made an offer, and they took it."

Tim got off, and motioned to the seat. "Try it." Billy swung a leg over and leaned forward to grab the handlebars. "Damn, this is sweet, Timmy," he said.

"Where's Jackie?," Tim asked. "Bo?"

Billy paused and slumped. "Gone. We had an epic fight and she bailed. it was bound to happen eventually… she has issues. As you know," he said ruefully. "This here's the rest of her crap that she left behind," he said, pointing at the boxes.

"Sorry to hear. Can't say I didn't expect it though," Tim said, shrugging his shoulders. "The kid's okay, if weird. You workin'?"

"Just on commission for the real estate firm. Not much happenin' there though. Tryin' to find something full-time… You still at the Taylor's?"

"Yeah, it's pretty cool, but I was thinkin' about moving soon since I have some money. I can't live there forever," he said, as images of all the good times flicked through his mind.

"Move back home then. Your room's there for you, and I could use some help with the mortgage. And, lemme put it out there… I'm really sorry about Jackie and that mess. It was wrong… I wasn't thinking clearly. At all."

Tim looked at him for a long moment. "A'right. What the hell," he said, clasping Billy's hand and hugging him. He and Billy needed one another, no getting around it.

-/-/-/-

Tim planned to move over the weekend, much to the disappointment of the Taylor household.

"You really don't have to move, hon," Tami said, as they sat on the stools at the kitchen counter. "I… I'm gonna miss…" She touched her lips with one hand and put her other on his thigh.

"Hey…" Tim said softly. "You'll see me around school and stuff. Can't get rid of me that easy." He raised her chin with his finger, drawing her gaze and kissing her slowly. She sniffed and gave a small, sad smile.

"And you call me if you need help with anything. Anything." Tim said. "Coach is gonna be upset that I won't be here to fix stuff. But you have the Batphone number, right?" he laughed, flipping his cell phone in the air. "Whatever you need. Promise?" Tami laughed and hugged him. _Might be you_…

/-/-/-/

Julie was face down on her bed when Tim knocked. "Go away," she said.

"Jules – can I come in?" He let himself in and sat down on the bed, making her roll toward him. He rubbed her shoulder. "Hey…"

Her face was red when she finally looked at him. "Traitor. I can't believe you're leaving me here with them," she scowled.

Tim laughed, stroking her hair. "You know, maybe it's better. Too many temptations, know what I mean?" he said. They sat silently for a moment, and she gave him a little grin, playing with a hole in his jeans.

"Hey, let's go for a ride." He pulled her to her feet and into the garage. "Wear this," he said, tossing her an old football helmet. She frowned. "It's just for a few miles," he added, mounting the bike.

Julie gingerly swung her leg over the saddle, unsure of where to hang on. She'd never ridden on a motorcycle. She let her weight press against him. Tim smiled to himself as he felt her chest push firmly into his back.

"Grab around my waist real tight, and just hang on," Tim instructed her. _How lucky can a girl get?_ "Yessir," she replied.

They rode to the motorcycle dealer. "Need a helmet to fit Tonto, here," he said to the salesman. He retrieved a candy apple red one, sliding it over her head. "Fits perfect," he said. "Should fit most ladies," he whispered to Tim, winking. Julie smiled broadly at Tim, who paid. They drove to the bluff and sat overlooking the ravine.

"Taylor, promise me you'll be good when I move out," Tim said. Julie laughed. "It's probly good you're leaving. Less distractions!," she laughed. He put his arm around her and drew her in, knocking foreheads before studying her and kissing her deeply. "We'll have to go on some rides, okay kid?" he said. She nodded, propping her quavering chin on a knee.

-/-/-/

Tim's ads began to run in national magazines. Even the teachers, who'd always merely put up with Riggins because of his football skills, began to treat Tim differently, riding him less about homework deadlines, complimenting him.

Practices were still light and short, so he had a little time. As an excuse to take out his bike, he'd ride to the movie theater in the next town. They showed indies, classics, cult favorites. Tim found he could get lost in the characters, the drama, the cinematography. Before he'd met Tracy, he never thought much about movies.

One night he went to catch an indie film. The film was about a messed up teenager in a small town who finds herself through painting and becomes a successful artist.

As the credits rolled, the director, Bella Green, a Texan, was introduced. She spoke for a few minutes about the movie and her inspiration and the floor was opened for questions.

Someone asked how she funded the movie, another whether the lead character was based on herself, to which she replied, yes and no. There was a pause and Tim raised his hand. "When did you know you'd made it? I mean, really made it…"

She looked at Tim for a minute, thinking. "When I finally got a painting in a show and it sold. I'd believed in myself before that, but nobody else did. My art teachers all thought I sucked and they told me so. Used the money to get this film going. I showed them." Everyone laughed. Tim had never met anyone from around there like her.

As he was getting on his bike in front of the theater, the director approached Tim. "You look familiar… " she asked. "Unless you're from Dillon, then it's probly the jeans ads I've been in, in newspapers and magazines," Tim answered in his cool, deep voice.

"Ah… yes." She looked him up and down. "Hey… If you have time, let's grab coffee," she said. "There's something I want to talk to you about… I've been looking for the right guy for a role in my next movie. And you just might be him."


	10. Chapter 10

**The Silver Screen  
**

**Chapter 10 of Zip It.** Note: these characters are not mine.

After his encounter with the filmmaker Bella Green, Tim rode back to Dillon on his motorcycle, considering his options. She wanted Tim to screen test for a part in her next film about a stranger passing through town, hustling chess and arm wrestling matches to make money. He thought it sounded crazy, but movies about crazier things are made all the time. And Morley Jeans wanted him to do another shoot, this time for their t-shirts. The jeans campaign he'd done for them was a hit, and he liked working with them. Oh, and the money…

He needed to decide whether to go to college. He'd received letters of interest from Oklahoma and Midland State offering some scholarship money, but hadn't thought much about it since no one in his family had ever graduated from college. But staying with the Taylors forced a new perspective... they were supportive and didn't expect the worst, the way his own family had—the way he had of himself.

His grades were average, but it helped being a Panther. Teachers overlooked his absences and graded his work on a "Panthers curve." It wasn't fair, but he figured his talent on the field was his contribution. He brought glory and pride to Dillon! Life didn't get any better than being Texas State champs. He just had to ignore Billy calling him stupid as a way to bolster himself. Tim loved Billy, but saw his limits and wanted to do better.

-/-/-/-

Tim aced the screen test. The film role wasn't exactly a stretch for Tim. His character, based along the lines of James Dean and Clint Eastwood, was the strong silent type—a badass rebel. Oh, and he rode a motorcycle. Bingo.

He was all ready for the arm wrestling scenes, since he and Billy had regular matches. Even though Billy was smaller than Tim, he was tough as hell and scrappy, and they swapped wins until recently, when Tim began winning. Tim'd had a recent growth spurt, putting on some serious muscle in the last year, and his biceps were huge.

Chess was another deal. He played some with Street before he started varsity, but it'd been years. Not that he had to actually play during the filming—it was all pretty much shot so it didn't matter—but he felt like he should be able to understand his moves.

So he turned to Landry for help. Good old Landry… Tim's go-to guy for anything brain-related. _You want me to spend the next three nights doing what!_ Landry had yelled when Tim called him. _Playing chess with you? Are you on crack?_ _I got Crucifictorious rehearsal and whatnot…_

He relented, of course, being an Eagle Scout and a dutiful friend. Tim supplied the beer, and after a rough start—_a rook? what the…? it moves in an what shape? christ—_Tim got it and began to enjoy his matches with Landry, who always came stocked with deep philosophical opinions. Tim never beat him, but the games got longer and longer. _Hey Eight-five, I owe you dude, seriously. You'll come to the opening night with me, okay? _Landry replied, _Just understand why you're doing what you're doing, okay little grasshopper?_

-/-/-/-

The first day of shooting, the start of which was scheduled for spring break, Tim did several scenes on his motorcycle, riding up to a bar, removing his helmet, tossing his hair, walking inside. The next day, they had him do scene where he basically set up shop at a table in the saloon, and guys challenged him to arm wrestle. _Punching the clock, Bella calls it. _He was wearing one of his signature sleeveless tees that showed off his arms, upon her directive.

He warmed up with a few dozen pushups, and when he buckled down in his first "match," against a much bulkier guy, his arms were pumped. He could hear the small crew quiet down and then start buzzing about his body. He wasn't a total egomaniac, but he knew his looks and his sculpted frame were his best asset after his prowess on the football field, and dabbling in modelling. Other opponents followed, and in the script his character had to lose at least one match to make it interesting.

But his guns had everyone gaping, even after a day of shooting. Bella smiled at this, squeezing his arm and winking at him as she gave him some notes, which he bent close to hear. Bella was about 25, with black hair, pale skin, and handsome features, but it was her confidence that was irresistible.

The chess matches were shot the next days. A dumb jock reputation had preceded Tim. But after some on set sniggering about him being a trained gorilla, Bella told him to just relax and be himself. People noticed he actually knew what he was doing. And Bella had been right… he was so gorgeous that even just watching him inspect the chess board—his eyes shifting from dark hazel to bright green with the lighting—was plenty to look at. But more than that, his expression reflected a variety of emotional states and concentrated thoughts.

-/-/-/-

After the week of shooting was over, there was a cast party, and afterward Bella and Tim went to grab a late-night bite at the diner. They were giddy with happiness and few too many beers. _You're gonna be a star, Tim. At least in my little indie world. Mark my words._ He scoffed, wanting to believe her, but thinking it was frivolous and a waste of time. Then again, what else would he be doing but sitting around drinking and watching the tube, now that football was basically over?

_Don't know bout that, but that's real sweet of you to say,_ he said, his cheeks dimpling. They walked to Bella's car and he took her hands, playing with her fingers. But he didn't talk, another thing that Bella was learning about him… communicating exactly what he meant without words. It had convinced her Tim'd be perfect on film.

He looked at her for a long while, slowly closing the gap between them, dropping his forehead against hers, breathing deeply, lips parted. His eyes were full of gratitude and affection, then peppered with doubt. She read: _Not everyone's seen any worth in me, but you do. But then you'll be gone, too. _And then he flashed her the sultriest look, drawing a blush to her cheeks.

_You have no idea of your full effect on people, do you my dear,_ she laughed. _I just saw ten emotions cross your mind. Here's one of them._ She lifted his chin, locked gazes, and leaned in to kiss him chastely, checking his heavy-lidded eyes, then fully, embracing him and pressing their bodies flush before wrapping her arms tight around his waist.

She paused and pulled back to look at him. _Hey, what's up?_ _Don't stop, __I liked that…_ he murmured. _Tim, I have to tell you a secret_… _I, uh… I normally play for the other team_.

He shook his head and chuffed. He did recall seeing Bella laughing (flirting?) with another woman, but hadn't thought anything of it. Til now.

Then he gave a wicked laugh. _Not tonight you don't, _he said, clasping her head and moving in for a deep one. _Tonight you play with me, Green_.

-/-/-/-

The next morning, Tim leaned against the kitchen counter and finished his second cup of coffee. _Gotta hit the road, Bella. This has been something_, he said, grinning.

_I'll be in touch soon_, she said._ Might need to do some reshoots or additional scenes or voiceovers, depending on how editing goes. But it'll be a few months before this thing is in any shape at all, hopefully in time for the film festival in Austin_.

_Then again, I might just need to be with you_.

Tim gathered her up and gave her a long, thoughtful kiss. _You just say the word and I'm here, boss_, he whispered, before getting on his bike, waving, and riding off toward Dillon.


	11. Chapter 11

Handy Man

Chapter 11 of Zip It. AN—Some fluff after too long between chapters. Summary: While living with the Taylor women, Tim models, gets a film role, and returns to Dillon on his motorcycle. These characters are not mine.

Tim got back to Dillon a few days before spring break ended. He'd been cleaning out his room since a new phase in his life had begun, between the modelling and acting he'd done recently.

He found some videos Coach had loaned him and decided to ride his motorcycle to the Taylors' to return them. He also missed his "second family" and thought it'd be nice to see the gals, anyway. Coach was in Austin.

As usual, he entered through the garage, which was open, as was the door to the house. Home sweet home, he thought, noting the futon was still set up as he'd left it, next to the weight bench.

"Hullo… anybody home?" he yelled. He was setting down the box of tapes when he heard Tami's voice.

"Who's there?" she said, poking her head in the door. "Tim, hon!" She pecked him on the cheek, hugged him.

Tim bit his lip, cocked an eyebrow at her. Tami was wrapped in a towel, her hair clipped up. "Oh… I was just gonna shower, but there's a problem with the showerhead. When'd you get back in town?"

"The other day. Just cleaning up and thought I'd get these tapes back. Shoulda called first, sorry."

"No prob, sweetie. Happy to see you," she smiled warmly. "Too bad Julie's at the pool with Gracie Belle," Tami said, giggling. "Swimming lesson. A couple hours."

Tim frowned. "Darn, I wanted to give Gracie a whirl. Say hi to Jules. Later, I guess."

"How'd your film shoot go?," Tami said. "That's amazing you got that role... what was it, a hustler? Grifter?"

Tim grinned. "Yup. Suits me, eh? All that time playing chess with Landry paid off, and I did alright with the arm wrestling. And workin' with Bella, the director, was amazing. But I missed y'all."

"Aw, sweet," Tami cooed. "And we missed you. Though we did get to see you in the paper, in those ads." Tim had almost forgotten they were still running. Tami pointed to one lying open on the table; Tim hadn't seen that version yet. He looked especially hot.

Tami pointed at his arms and flexed her bicep. "I see you kept up with your workouts. Excellent," she giggled, biting her lip. Tim blushed. "Yep. Stronger than ever."

"Mmm hmm. Hey, don't laugh hon, but could you look at the shower head? It's all clogged up but I can't unscrew it."

"Can't manage a couple weeks without me!" he chuckled. Tim watched appreciatively as Tami tiptoed to the bathroom, towel clutched around her chest.

She stepped into the tub and reached up to the fixture. "See, it's just stuck. I've been trying for a few minutes." When she stretched, her towel started to come undone and she grabbed at it, looking at Tim sheepishly. "Oops."

He grinned, took off his boots and climbed in alongside her, hiking up his jeans under his sleeveless Panther tee. "Hmm…" He tried unscrewing the fixture, but it didn't give. Tami gaped at his bulging muscles.

"Hand me that towel, would ya?" He wrapped it around the neck and gave it a twist, grunting. When it gave, water gushed onto him, soaking him. He turned off the lever.

"Nice." He climbed out, pulled his wet shirt off, wrung it out.

"God, I thought I turned off the water. Guess it was still on a little. I'm sorry hon," Tami said, climbing out after him, holding onto his arm. How I've missed those lovely biceps.

"No biggie. That's what dryers are for." He undid the showerhead. "Just crud clogging it up." He scrubbed it out, replaced it. Tami watched his arm muscles work beneath his skin, even the little ones in his forearms.

When he climbed back out of the tub, he noticed Tami looking at him in the mirror. He pulled off his soaked socks, plucked at his jeans. "Let's put your stuff in the dryer," Tami said. "Gimme your jeans."

He paused, looking at her sideways. "C'mon, it's nothing I haven't seen before," she said smirking, handing him a towel to put around his waist. He emptied his pockets, stripped to his briefs and gathered up his clothes.

They went to the laundry room, put his clothes in the dryer. Tami turned to face him, leaning against the dryer.

"Tim… remember when you helped me with my necklace, before the banquet?"

Hell yeah, that night we first kissed, in the parts room. "How could I forget," he said in a low voice, standing so close she could feel his heat.

She grabbed his hands, drawing them around her waist. Damn, he thought. Here we are again. He hugged her in, inhaled deeply, exhaled. Her skin goosebumped, like the first time.

Watching her intently, Tim removed the clip from her hair, which tumbled around her shoulders. He pulled her hips to his.

"Wanna know a secret?," Tim whispered, nibbling and kissing her ear. "You're the hottest guidance counseler ever. From the beginning of time."

"Tim!" She guffawed.

"What! It's true. You should hear what the guys say…" he chuckled. "No, you shouldn't. Well it's all good, anyway." He could feel her trembling with anticipation.

"You are the sweetest thing, Tim. Lord, I've missed you." she purred, taking his face in her hands.

She slid her hand around the top of her towel and loosened it. "I think we should test the shower," she said, turning to face him. "In just a minute."

They kissed ravenously. He pulled her flush against his hard cock, both moaning softly. Their towels dropped at the same time.

He slid off his briefs, lifted her and braced her against the dryer. "And I missed you," he panted. "Hang on."

-/-/-/-/


End file.
